The CopDoc Podcast: Aiming for Excellence in Leadership

Hey there! Send us a message. Who else should we be talking to? What topics are important? Use FanMail to connect! Let us know! Dr. Sarah Abbott is a Boston area based - Licensed CIinical Social Worker (LICSW) clinical, and former professor of Criminal Justice at Lasell College in Newton, MA.  Sarah has extensive experience working as a co-responding clinician in Massachusetts police departments.  She managed the expansion of the program, increasing service to 15 police agencies for Advocates in Framingham, MA.  Sarah is the creator and Director of the Center for Co-response and Behavioral Health at William James College in Newton, MA. Sarah is the principal of a consulting now running Abbott Solutions for Justice, LLC.    We chatted about policing, the introduction of clinicians into police vehicles.  Sarah worked directly with the Framingham, MA Police Department and has hired and coached dozens of clinicians for service in police agencies.  The Center for Co-response and Behavioral Health has created a certificate program in Co-response.Contact us: copdoc.podcast@gmail.com Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf you'd like to arrange for facilitated training, or consulting, or talk about steps you might take to improve your leadership and help in your quest for promotion, contact Steve at stephen.morreale@gmail.com

Hey there! Send us a message. Who else should we be talking to? What topics are important? Use FanMail to connect! Let us know!Jennifer Morrison is the Commissioner of Public Safety in Vermont.   Prior to joining DPS in October 2020 as executive director of policy development and later deputy commissioner, Morrison spent three decades in Vermont’s law enforcement community.She joined the Burlington Police Department as an officer in 1990 and advanced through the ranks, ultimately becoming deputy chief. In 2013, she accepted the position of chief of the Colchester Police Department, a role she held for the next five years before retiring. In retirement, she worked as a consultant and instructor before returning to the Burlington Police Department in January 2020 as interim police chief for six months during a tumultuous time in the BPD. Jen lives on an island on Lake Champlain and has been a trainer for the IACP on Leadership.  Ina wide-ranging interview, we talked about leading and the focus of policing in the 21st century.  We spoke of authenticity in leadership, the power of listening, coaching, and using questions.  We also spoke about the co-production of public safety.  Jennifer is a fellow podcaster, serving as the co-host of The Hero Maker Podcast, focused on those who work in public safety, striving to make a difference.  Contact us: copdoc.podcast@gmail.com Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf you'd like to arrange for facilitated training, or consulting, or talk about steps you might take to improve your leadership and help in your quest for promotion, contact Steve at stephen.morreale@gmail.com

Hey there! Send us a message. Who else should we be talking to? What topics are important? Use FanMail to connect! Let us know!Shawn Hill is a Lieutenant with the Santa Barbara Police Department in Central California.  A police officer in Norfolk, VA, and now in Santa Barbara, CA for more than 20 years, he is now a doctoral candidate at UC Santa Barbara. He was selected as a practitioner-scholar for the U.S. Department of Justice - Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) program, sponsored by the National Institute of Justice.  Contact us: copdoc.podcast@gmail.com Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf you'd like to arrange for facilitated training, or consulting, or talk about steps you might take to improve your leadership and help in your quest for promotion, contact Steve at stephen.morreale@gmail.com

Hey there! Send us a message. Who else should we be talking to? What topics are important? Use FanMail to connect! Let us know!Contact us: copdoc.podcast@gmail.com Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf you'd like to arrange for facilitated training, or consulting, or talk about steps you might take to improve your leadership and help in your quest for promotion, contact Steve at stephen.morreale@gmail.com

Hey there! Send us a message. Who else should we be talking to? What topics are important? Use FanMail to connect! Let us know!The CopDoc Podcast Episode Summary: Increasing Resilience in First RespondersGuest: Dr. Stephanie Conn, police psychologist and former police officerKey Topics:Dr. Conn's Journey: The daughter of a police officer, Dr. Conn's personal experiences as a dispatcher and police officer, including the tragic deaths of two colleagues, led her to pursue a career in psychology to better support first responders.The Need for Specialized Support: Dr. Conn highlights the unique challenges faced by first responders and emphasizes the importance of culturally competent mental health care from clinicians who understand the specific stressors of the profession.Check-Ups from the Neck Up: The concept of regular mental health check-ups for first responders is discussed as a way to normalize seeking help and address the cumulative effects of stress before reaching a crisis point.Confidentiality and Trust: Dr. Conn emphasizes the importance of confidentiality in building trust with first responders and outlines the steps she takes to ensure their information remains private, especially in sensitive situations like worker's compensation cases.The Cumulative Effect of Trauma: The podcast delves into the "death by a thousand cuts" phenomenon, where the accumulation of traumatic experiences over time can lead to significant mental health struggles.EMDR as a Treatment Tool: Dr. Conn explains EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy and its effectiveness in helping first responders process and heal from trauma.Overcoming the Stigma: The conversation addresses the stigma associated with seeking mental health care in first responder professions and the need for education and open dialogue to overcome these barriers.The Future of Wellness in Policing: The podcast concludes with a discussion on the growing emphasis on wellness programs within law enforcement agencies and the importance of ensuring these programs are evidence-based and tailored to the specific needs of first responders.Overall: This episode of The CopDoc Podcast provides valuable insights into the mental health challenges faced by first responders and offers practical strategies for building resilience and seeking support. The conversation is candid, informative, and highlights the critical role of mental health professionals like Dr. Conn in supporting the well-being of those who protect and serve our communities.Contact us: copdoc.podcast@gmail.com Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf you'd like to arrange for facilitated training, or consulting, or talk about steps you might take to improve your leadership and help in your quest for promotion, contact Steve at stephen.morreale@gmail.com

Hey there! Send us a message. Who else should we be talking to? What topics are important? Use FanMail to connect! Let us know!In an encore presentation, we chatted with Dr. Jim McCabe, a pracademic, an academic with extensive practical field experience.  Jim was an Inspector with the NYPD. A graduate of The Graduate Center for CUNY, John Jay College, Jim is a professor of Criminal Justice, a trainer, and a facilitator for police sessions, and has been a team member for countless police management studies across the US. In a wide-ranging discussion, we talked about the state of policing today, police management studies, leadership, training, and Body-worn cameras.   Contact us: copdoc.podcast@gmail.com Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf you'd like to arrange for facilitated training, or consulting, or talk about steps you might take to improve your leadership and help in your quest for promotion, contact Steve at stephen.morreale@gmail.com

Hey there! Send us a message. Who else should we be talking to? What topics are important? Use FanMail to connect! Let us know!We spoke with Dr. Shon Barnes, Chief of Police with the Madison, WI.Prior to his appointment as Chief in February 2021, Chief Barnes served as the Director of Training and Professional Development in Chicago, Illinois, and he was the former Deputy Chief of Police in Salisbury (NC). He was previously a Captain with the Greensboro Police Department, where he began his career as a patrol officer in November 2000. He has vast experience in police leadership, serving as the commander of 4 Police Divisions. He has also served in the armed forces as a United States Marine.Dr. Barnes attended Elizabeth City State University, where he received a B.A. Degree in History/Pre-Law, and the University of Cincinnati, where he received a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice. He earned his Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where his dissertation focus was “Racial disparities in traffic stops, and the role of police leadership in community engagement efforts.” Dr. Barnes was selected as the 2015 National Institute of Justice L.E.A.D.S Scholar (Law Enforcement Advancement through Data and Science) for using science and evidence-based policing practices to improve policing, and community relations.Throughout his career, Dr. Barnes has worked hard to implement Neighborhood Oriented Policing, which focuses on smaller police beat responses and foot patrols. He has implemented the Stratified Model of Policing which encompasses Problem Solving, Crime Analysis, and Accountability at all levels within the organization. These efforts have significantly improved community-police relations as evidenced by a 100% clearance rate on all homicides occurring in Salisbury during his tenure. His philosophy as it relates to policing simply states, “Policing should be neighborhood-oriented, community-focused (business and residential), problem-oriented, and based on the most current empirical research available to reduce crime and improve citizens’ satisfaction with police services.” We talked about leadership, professionalism, the NIJ LEADS program, mental heath calls and officer wellness.  Contact us: copdoc.podcast@gmail.com Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf you'd like to arrange for facilitated training, or consulting, or talk about steps you might take to improve your leadership and help in your quest for promotion, contact Steve at stephen.morreale@gmail.com

Hey there! Send us a message. Who else should we be talking to? What topics are important? Use FanMail to connect! Let us know!In this encore episode, we continued our chat with Superintendent Andy Lacey from the Garda, Ireland's National Police.  Andy has been on a steering team to collaborate with several agencies in Ireland to create a pilot, placing clinicians in police vehicles in the City of Limerick to co-respond to mental health-related calls. Working with the Health Service Executive (HSE) National Health Service, University of Limerick Medical School,  University of Limerick School of Law, We discussed the reforms being considered for the Garda. Andy is back in Limerick and will travel back to the USA to William James Colege to attend and present the Co-Response Research Symposium sponsored by the Center for Crisis Response and Behavioral Heath at WJC.   Contact us: copdoc.podcast@gmail.com Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf you'd like to arrange for facilitated training, or consulting, or talk about steps you might take to improve your leadership and help in your quest for promotion, contact Steve at stephen.morreale@gmail.com

Hey there! Send us a message. Who else should we be talking to? What topics are important? Use FanMail to connect! Let us know!Kristen Ziman is the retired chief of the Aurora, IL Police Department.  Aurora is the second largest city in Illinois.  In a suburb of Chicago, Chief Ziman oversaw a department with 300 officers. Recently retired, Kristen has been a sought-after speaker across North America.  She published the book Reimagining Blue: Thoughts on Life, Leadership, and a New Way Forward in Policing.  Kristen co-hosts a podcast with Sylvia Moir, entitled The Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast.   Kristen can be reached via her website:www.kristenziman.com  Contact us: copdoc.podcast@gmail.com Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf you'd like to arrange for facilitated training, or consulting, or talk about steps you might take to improve your leadership and help in your quest for promotion, contact Steve at stephen.morreale@gmail.com

Hey there! Send us a message. Who else should we be talking to? What topics are important? Use FanMail to connect! Let us know!Ed Cronin has over 35 years experience in policing. His career includes experience as a Police Chief in two cities in Massachusetts. He holds a graduate degree in Criminal Justice Management along with an advanced graduate degree in Organizational Development and Systems Thinking from Suffolk University. He is also a certified executive coach. (Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching)As a Detective Sergeant with 15 years experience, he took courses at Queen’s College in Oxford, University, England as part of his Master’s program at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. During this time, he also worked with the Thames Valley Police exposing him to new ideas and methods of policing practices. While there he was also enlisted and assisted in bringing the first group of US police officers to Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990’s that was featured on National television in the US. This trip was followed up by the first Russian delegation of police officers to come to the United States eventually meeting with then FBI Director Louis Freeh and subsequent meetings with the US State Department who agreed to fund future delegations to the US.While acting in his first Chief’s position in Gardner, Massachusetts he co-created a highly competitive grant application that resulted in an award from the US Department of Justice using an innovative community approach to combat domestic violence.After three years in Gardner, Ed was hired by a Vermont based International NGO, called Project Harmony. He was appointed as Director of a US State Department funding program called Domestic Violence Community Partnership Program to Russia, Ukraine and Georgia that was based on the model he used in Gardner, Massachusetts.As Chief of Police in Fitchburg, Massachusetts in 2006, he co-developed a task force that employed a systems approach to address crime and educational failures of Latino students. Fitchburg was experiencing a higher murder rate per capita than the City of Boston (mostly within the Latino community) and a high school dropout rate for Latino students of over 40%. His ground-breaking work brought the police, minority community, and the greater community at large together to engage in a process that identified the root causes as systemic racism, mostly unconscious, and lack of economic opportunities for at-risk youth. This work resulted in Ed receiving the 2011 Individual Achievement Award in Civil Rights from the International Chiefs of Police.This effort refocused the community to address these deep-seated issues that eventually brought about systemic and political change. These efforts were followed up by excellent and progressive future political and police leadership. Today the City of Fitchburg experienced one murder in 2021 and a Latino dropout rate of less than 8%.He has written a book entitled Just Policng: My Journey to Police Reform. Contact us: copdoc.podcast@gmail.com Website: www.copdocpodcast.comIf you'd like to arrange for facilitated training, or consulting, or talk about steps you might take to improve your leadership and help in your quest for promotion, contact Steve at stephen.morreale@gmail.com